Motor starter



M y 9, 1934. H. P. CHANDLER El AL 1,960,967

MOTOR STARTER Fild Sept. 9, 1932 2 Sheets-sheaf 1 I mmir - Inventors [20M519 P CHANDL SAMUEL 5f [[44 y 1934? H. P. CHANDLER El AL ,960,967

MOTOR STARTER Filed Sept. 9, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventors H OM51? PCHANDL Attorney Patented May 29, 1934 PATIENT OFFICE 1,960,967 MOTORSTARTER Homer P. Chandler and Samuel s. Matthes,

Mansfield, Ohio Application September 9, 1932, Serial No. 632,350

12 Claims.

Our invention relates to starters for engines The object of'ourinvention is to provide a starter which is silent in operation; which issimple in construction; which throws into operative relation with theengine through torque in the starter; which is thrown out of operativeengagement with the engine automatically and instantly upon the startingof the engine and which if thrown into mesh with the engine accidentallywhile the engine is running no harm will result.

Other objects will be disclosed later in our description.

Our invention resides in the new and novel construction, combination andrelation of the various parts herein described and shown in theaccompanying drawings.

In the drawings:-- I

Fig. 1 is an end view of an engine showing the flywheel housing brokenaway.

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1 with a portion of the housing brokenaway.

Fig. 3 is an end view opposite to that in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view suiiicient to show the relation of the motorstarter to the flywheel and its housing in detail. 1

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the armature pinion and its relation tothe engine flywheel.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the armature shaft and its pinion.

Fig. '7 is a front end view of the motor starter.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8--8 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a side view of the motor starter.

Fig. 10 shows the relation of the starter pinion to the engine flywheelwhen in normal or out position.

The invention disclosed in this application is an improvement over thatshown in our co-pending cases Serial No. 565,150, filed September 25,1931 and Serial No. 602,710, filed April 2, 1932.

Our invention depends for its operation upon the torque set up in anarmature motor between the field and the armature when energized.

Instantly upon energization of a motor field and armature a force is setup between the two mature and field is destroyed or sufliciently reducedthe parts will not rotate relative to each other but one part, as forinstance the armature, may continue to rotate relative to the other. Wedepend upon this principle of operation to throw the motor automaticallyoutof operative relation with the engine.

This latter operation may be brought about by increasing the rapidity ofrotation of one of the parts, as for instance the motor, throughexternal means which will destroy the attractive force set up betweenthe parts as, for instance, as soon as the starter has caused the engineto rotate under its own power it will do so at a greater rate than thearmature has been driving the engine and the engine in turn will for aninstant rotate the armature at such speed that the torque set up betweenthe armature and field will be destroyed or materially reduced thuspermitting the starter to move out of mesh with the engine flywheel.

In our preferred embodiment we mount the starter M directly upon somepart of the engine E and in position so that the starting pinion 1 onthe starter will mesh with the flywheel or starter gear 2 on the engine.The members 1 and 2 are not provided with the ordinary type oftransverse tooth but are provided with circumferential projections andgrooves therebetween such that the projections on one member will enterthe grooves on the other member and when the faces of the projections onthe two members engage suflicient friction will be set up for one memberto drive the others. The engaging faces of the projections on bothmembers 1 and 2 are angularly disposed in order to increase the frictionas the pressure between the members increases. For convenience we termthe member 1 a pinion and the member 2 a gear.

The member 1 is made to slide longitudinally upon the armature shaft 3and the armature shaft 3 is provided with longitudinal slots 4 in whichare positioned projections 5 on the pinion 1. Thus the pinion and shaftare interlocked against relative rotation but the pinion is free to movelongitudinally on the shaft 3 thus adjusting itself to properly engagewith the flywheel or starter gear 2.

The projections 6 on the pinion are always en- 1 5 tered to a greater orless extent in the grooves 7 on the member 2 thus preventing thecomplete displacement of the pinion 1 with respect to the shaft 3.

a commutator (not shown).

The field of the motor is usually held stationary and the armature isfree to rotate upon its axis A-A. In our case we also mount the field torotate in fixed bearings about an axis BB parallel to the axis A-A butspaced therefrom. Thus it will be seen that the armature and field arefree to rotate independently of each other about spaced axes and sincethe armature is contained within the field and mounted in bearings inthe field frame the armature will revolve about the axis BB when thefield rotates upon its axis.

We depend upon this oifsetting of the axis AA with respect to the axisBB for moving the pinion 1 into operative engagement with the engineflywheel or gear 2 when it is desired to start the engine.

The field 8 is provided at each end with end plates 10 secured theretoby bolts 11 and projecting longitudinally and in alignment from eachplate 10 are trunnions 12 and 12' upon which the field rotates and inwhich trunnions the armature shaft 3 is mounted to rotate relative tothe trunnions. If desired the shaft 3 may be provided with ball bearings13.

It will be apparent that if the field rotates upon its axis B-B that thearmature shaft 3 will revolve about the axis BB and at the same time thearmature will revolve upon its own axis AA when the field and armatureare energized.

In Fig. 2 we have shown a starter mounted upon the engine E andparticularly upon the vertical flange 14 forming a part of the engineframe and also part of the flywheel housing 15. The members 14 and 15may be constructed in various ways to meet requirements, our main objectbeing to securely mount the engine starter on the frame in convenientand operative relation to the flywheel 2.

In the mounting we have shown a bearing 16 formed in the upright 14 inwhich the trunnion 12 of the starter is rotatably mounted.

To support the opposite end of the motor M we provide a bracket-bearing17 detachably secured to the engine E by means of the bolts 18. Thetrunnion 12' is rotatably mounted in the bracket-bearing 17.

From Fig. 9 it will be noted that the center of gravity is below theaxis BB hence the tendency for the motor will be to rotate on the axisBB and to seek its equilibrium, that is, with the axes A-A and BB in acommon vertical plane and with the axis A-A below the axis BB (see Fig.8) which is the normal out position of the starter.

To assist in moving the starter to its out position we employ the spring19 which is constantly acting to rotate the field to its normal outposition and with the stop lug 20 on the end plate of the motor inengagement with the bracketbearing 17.

The tension of the spring 19 is made quite light and when the starterhas been operated to place the pinion in operative engagement with theengine flywheel the field will have rotated in the direction of thearrow in Fig. 3 and the attachment point of the spring 19 will havemoved to the left but the axis of the spring will still be angularlydisposed to the vertical and on the same side of the vertical as shownin Fig. 3 thus still tending to rotate the motor pinion out ofengagement with the engine. The upper end of the spring 19 is secured tothe bracket-bearing 17 and the lower end to the trunnion 12'.

1,oeo,ee7

8, armature 9, the already mentioned shaft 3 and In order to assemblethe motor to the engine frame the bracket-bearing 17 is removed and theworkman grasps the starter and with the axis A--A positioned to theextreme right (referring to Fig. 3) the pinion 1 is passed through theopening in the bearing 16 and the.trunnion 12 positioned therein. Withthe axes A-A and B-B in a substantially horizontal plane and the axisA-A away from the engine flywheel the projections 6 of the pinion willpass the projections 21 on the flywheel 2. Having positioned thetrunnion 12 in its bearing 16 and with the pinion 1 in proper aligmnentwith the flywheel 2, the motor may be rotated into the position shown inFig. 3 with the A-A and BB axes in a vertical plane which is the normalout position of the starter. This having been done, the bracket bearing17 is now positioned upon the trunnion 12' and secured in place by thebolts 18 thus completing installation of the starter when the spring 19has been installed.

The member 1 is preferably made of a nonmetallic material such as fiber,lignum vitae, bakelized fiber or other materials treated with syntheticresin and has a considerable co-eflicient of friction with the gearwhich is preferably metal.

Mounted on the frame 8 is a binding post 22 insulated from the fieldframe and having one end connected to either the armature lead or fieldwinding while the other end of the motor circuit is usually grounded tothe frame.

When a battery 23 is connected to the post 22 and to some part of theengine frame and the circuit closed by a switch 24 the field andarmature will be energized and a torque set up between the two rotatingthe field in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 3 while thearmature will rotate opposite thereto. The rotation of the field aboutits axis BB will rotate the armature and its pinion 1 toward and intooperative relation with the flywheel 2.

As soon as this engagement takes place the torque between the parts willincrease and the tendency for the field to rotate upon its axis BB willbe materially increased and the pressure therefore between the members 1and 2 will be materially and automatically increased and frictionbetween the parts will become sufiicient to set up a rotation of theflywheel 2.

This rotation will continue until the engine rotates of its own powerwhen in place of being driven by the motor it will drive the motorarmature, thus destroying or reducing sufiiciently the torque which isholding the pinion in operative relation to the flywheel and the motorwill then return to its normal out position either through gravity orthe action of the spring 19 or both.

It will be apparent from the disclosure that our invention is of thesimplest form and is mounted to the engine frame in the simplest andmost substantial manner and that its operation is simple and that it isautomatically thrown to the "out position upon the starting of theengine and further that with the engine running and the starting circuitaccidentally closed that the motor will throw into operative relationwith the engine without doing any harm but will be immediately returnedto its out" position and that it will remain in the out position eventhough the circuit may remain closed and the armature rotating.

It will be apparent that our invention is adapted for use with anautomobile engine. Also that with the construction disclosed, the motormay be mounted directly on the gear casing or housing and rotaterelative thereto and the pinion can move laterally to the gear to engagethe same and such mounting leaves no open passage through the housingfor the entrance of dirt.

Having described our invention, we claim:-

1. In combination, an internal combustion engine having a starter gearand a housing for the gear, the housing having an upright wall with anopening therethrough forming a bearing for one end of a starter, thegear having spaced circumferential projections with tapered sidesforming therebetween circumferential grooves with tapering faces, astarter having a rotatable field and a rotatable armature and each hav-'ing spaced and parallel axes upon which they rotate when energized andthe armature also revolvable about the axis of-the field, the fieldprovided at its ends with trunnions upon which the field rotates and theaxis of the armature falling within the periphery of the trunnions and apinion slidably mounted on the projecting end of the armature shaft torotate therewith within the housing and having circumferentialprojections and grooves corresponding to those on the gear andinter-meshing therewith for friction driving, a detachable bracketsecured to the engine frame and having an opening therein and a trunnionmounted therein and another trunnion mounted in the first said opening,means tending to-rotate the field to its out position, the motoroperating to rotate the field and move the pinion into operativeengagement with the starter gear and the armature simultaneouslyrotating on its. axis when the field and armature are energized.

2. In combination, an engine having a starter gear and a housingtherefor, a starting motor rotatably mounted at one end in a bearingmounted in the housing wall with the axis of the motor parallel to theaxis of the starter gear, a motor driven member adapted to engage anddrive the starter gear in one direction when the motor is in its inposition, the motor driven member being free to rotate about its axis intwo directions when the motor is in its out position, the motor beingoperable to its in position when energized and means to return the motorto its out position when deenergized.

3. In combination, an engine having a starter gear and a housingenclosing the gear, the housing wall provided with a bearing having apassage extending through the bearing and opening into the housing, abearing mounted on the engine frame and having an opening therethroughand axially aligned with the first said bearing, a starter motor havinga field with end projecting trunnions mounted in the hearings to rotatetherein about its axis, an armature mounted within the field with ashaft projecting into said housing and a starter pinion mounted on theshaft to engage the starter gear, the axis of the armature beingparallel to but spaced from the field axis and the field and armaturefree to rotate relatively to each other when energized and to move thestarter pinion through an arc of a circle and into engagement with thestarter gear when energized, the motor mounted in the bearings such thatit is free to return to its disengaged position when deenergized.

4. The combination with an automobile engine having a starter gear and ahousing therefor of a starting motor mounted on the housing adjacent thegear and having a starting pinion to be moved into engagement with thegear, an opening through the housing wall, an/endwise projectingtrunnion on the motor positioned in said opening to rotate relative tothe housing, a second bearing in the engine frame to receive a secondtrunnion on the motor, the motor rotatable about the common axis of thetrunnions, the motor having an armature to rotate upon its'axis which isparallel to but spaced from the axis of the trunnions, the startingpinion slidably mounted on the armature shaft but rotatable therewith toengage the gear when the motor is energized. I

5. Apparatus of the class described, in combination, an engine having anengine driven memher, a motor to start the engine and having a rotatablefield and a rotatable armature, a shaft for the armature, a motor drivenmember longitudinally movable on the shaft but rotatable there with,means for rotating the axis of said shaft towards the axis of theenginedriven member to engage the members, an engine casing on the engine toenclose the members, means on the easing and means on the engine frameto receive the field in rotatable relation to the casing.

6. The combination of an engine and frame having a starter gear and ahousing for the gear, a starting motor for the engine, a starting pinionon the motor movable into and out of engagement with the gear,- aneccentric mounting for the pinion, resilient means for holding thepinion at a distance from the gear and a stop to limit the movement bysaid resilient means and means to energize the motor to engage thepinion with the gear, the motor mounted on the engine with the pinionpositioned within the housing, the motor rotatable relative to theengine about an axis parallel to the axis of the starter gear and thepinion rotatable about its axis parallel to the aforesaid axes andspaced therefrom and simultaneously revolvable about the axis of themotor and in the plane of the starter gear to engage the gear to rotatethe engine.

7. In combination, an internal combustion engine having a starter gearand a housing therefor, a starting motor having a field and an armature,a starting pinion on the armature shaft, means to mount the pinion endof the field directly on the housing with the pinion within the housingand the pinion to swing through an arc of a circle towards and intooperative relation with the gear when the motor is energized, means tomount the other end of the field on the engine, means adapted to returnthe pinion to its out position upon the engine starting under its ownpower.

8. In combiantion, an engine and frame having a starter gear and ahousing to enclose the gear; a bearing formed in one wall of thehousing, a starting motor having a field and an armature in rotatablerelation to each other when energized, a trunnion on the end of thefield and mounted in said bearing and to rotate about the axis of saidbearing relative to the housing, a starting pinion on the armature andpositioned on the armature shaft extending through the said housing walland within the walls of said bearing, the pinion engageable with thegear, means to support the other end of the field on the engine frame,the pinion rotatable on an axis spaced from that of the said bearing andmovable about the axis of said bearing into engagement with the gear.

9. In apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination,an engine, an engine starting gear, a housing on the engine frame forthe gear, a starting motor, a motor starting pinion to engage the enginestarting gear to drive the engine, an eccentric mounting for the motorat each end of the motor, the housing provided with means to receive theeccentric mounting at one end of the motor with the motor positionedwithout the housing and the pinion within the housing.

10. In combination, an engine having a starting gear and a housing forthe gear, an annular flange projecting from the housing wall and forminga passage into said housing interior and forming a bearing for astarting motor, a starting motor having a field and an armature mountedon a shaft extending into the housing through the passage, a bearingmounted on the engine frame at a distance from the housing and having apassage aligned with that in the housing, the field having spaced andaligned trunnions mounted in the passages and to rotate therein and thefield to rotate therewith, a starting pinion mounted on the shaft tomove into engagement with the gear and movable longitudinally on theshaft and rotate therewith and at all times in partial mesh with thegear to prevent the pinion being displaced relative to the gear,

the field rotatable about the axis of the trunnions relative to thehousing and the armature rotatable upon its axis spaced from thetrunnion axis and the pinion movableinto engagement with the gear whenthe field rotates and a source of power connected to the motor toenergize the field and armature.

11. An electric engine starter comprising in combination, a field havingenclosed ends and a trunnion projecting from each end upon which thestarter is mounted and having a common axis and upon which the starterrotates, an armature mounted within the field and having a projectingshaft the axis of which is spaced from the said axis of the starter, adriving pinion mounted on the armature shaft and having a drivenconnection therewih to rotate the pinion and permit the pinion to movelongitudinally on the shaft to adjust its position with a gear withwhich it may mesh.

12. The combination with an engine frame and housing containing astarting gear to start the engine of a starting motor having projectingaligned bearings at each end of the motor upon the axis of which themotor may rotate, a projecting flange from one wall of the housing tocooperate with the projecting bearing on the one end of the motor tosupport that end of the motor, a second bearing secured to the engineframe to support the hearing at the second end of the motor, an armatureshaft projecting from one end of the motor and into the housing and apinion mounted on the shaft within the housing to rotate with the shaft,the axis of the motor and the axis of the shaft being spaced apart.

. HOMER P. CHANDLER. SAMUEL S. MATTHES.

